As natural resources, particularly those required for heating and cooling, become scarcer, consumers and businesses are trying to utilize better technologies to lower the cost of energy and the like. Likewise, local governments and industry groups are promulgating new standards for energy compliance.
For instance, ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers), has promulgated standards that will require that new conditioned air low-rise commercial construction will require roof u-values of between 0.035-0.040 and wall u-values of 0.050-0.060. This is a significant change from its current u-value of 0.062 for the roof.